Billie says: Yay! I got one more review! Thank you very much. The "hits" counter offically turned 200, so I know people are out there reading it. Feedback would be gratefully appreciated. Third and final part up! Enjoy! and please review.

"...embracing the lifeless body, pouring tears into it's wounds, and imprinting kisses on the cold lips."It was late night. The entire household had just retired. Naruto quietly snuck through his bedroom door, a small satchel in hand. Sakura silently padded down the dim litted hallway. She touched his shoulders. He looked back at her. Understanding one another, they made their way through the darkness. A smirk made it's way into his features.

He had been mocked earlier. Insulted indirectly by the head of the Uchiha family. He smiled polietly at he time. As though he did not understand the meaning behind the elder's words. It was perfectly fine with him. He knew something that the other did not.

He nodded. His expression now serious. Together, they crept down the staircase in unison. Reaching the ground floor and staying in the shadows. Twice they had almost come into contact with a wandering attendant. Looking over everything before the start of a new day. Sakura led the boy through the servant's back entrance.

They wouldn't be able to get though the main gates. By this time they would either be locked shut or would soon be looked to by a light guard of personnel. Instead, they made their way to the far corner of the estate. It was there that Naruto would have to climb over the wall. Climb over what had kept him encaged for so many years.

When they had made it to that point, Sakura hugged him tightly.

"Good luck," she whispered.

"Thank you," he said. "For all that you have done."

She let him go. She reached behind her apron, into the hidden pocket there. From it, she produced a folded orange cloth. She unraveled it, revealing it to be a scarf. Naruto gasped.

"Sakura?"

"I was able to retrieve it from the master's bedroom," she quietly explained. She wrapped it around his neck once and flatened the leftover material onto his shoulders. "It didn't seem right for it to be locked up gathering dust. When it should be here, resting on your shoulders."

He hugged the girl again.

"I will miss you."

"My place is here. And yours is by your love."

He squeezed her tightly. He let her go quickly and climbed up the stone wall. It was when he had one leg on either side that she called up to him one last time.

"Do you remember where you are to meet him?"

"Yes." He smiled. "Don't worry. I'll be fine. And everything will be perfect."

He threw his other lef over and leapt down to the ground below. He stood straight and glanced backwards at his former home. His head turned forward. His feet moved automatically towards his destination. Towards the spring. The spring with the white mulberry tree.

The time was later than Sasuke had anticipated to leave at. He had not wanted Naruto to be waiting at their rendez-vous point for a long period of time. Sasuke himself wanted to be there before the blond. To be standing there with open arms as though he were Naruto's gate to salvation. A silly thought to some maybe. But when it came to his ego, no thought was too silly.

In any case, that did not matter. All that did now was to make to their meeting place as quickly as possible. He never thought that it would take so long for guests to leave a party clebrating a marriage that would not even take place.

In anycase it didn't matter. All that did now was to make it to their destined meeting place as quickly as possible.

He was correct in his assumptions that the securtiy over his person would be lighten. It was most likely due to the overconfidence of his father. Now that his son was engaged, there was no reason for him to suspect that Sasuke would be sneaking around. Especially since he had not said one word of objection to the whole idea. Besides the first conversation that is.

He carried with him a small bag of belongings and a supplies he had been able to collect during the week. He also had a katana that he had received as a gift some time ago. He wasn't sure whether or not they would need it. Worst case senerio they would. Best he brought it.

Sasuke moved throught the home without incident. He exited through the front entrance. He walked the stone path leading to the front gate. It wasn't untill he approached the iron gating that he encountered something. Or rather, someone.

"Itachi."

The eldest Uchiha regarded his younger sibling impassively.

"I knew you would try something." His words were blunt. And there was no sign of doubt in his voice.

"Move aside," the younger demanded.

Itachi held his position. "No."

"What?"

"I have gained my freedom through your misery," he said all knowingingly. "And as much as I love you, little brother, I will not give that away so easily."

Sasuke smirked. "Is that so? And it is you would do the informing, correct?"

Itachi's smirk resembled that of his brother. Or perhaps it was the other way around.

"Correct."

"Hn." Sasuke pulled his katana from it's sheath. "Unfortunately for you, my brother, I hold no love for you. It is after all your own doing that caused all this to happen for us. If slicing your throat is the key to my escape, then so be it."

"I was under the impression you believed it was your own careless mistake."

"That in itself did not help matters. But still. You know what you did."

"Indeed I do." Itachi pulled a katana of his own free from it's bindings. He had come prepared. If beating his younger brother to the brink of death would be the only means of keeping what he had gained, then it must be done. Oh. And of course, it was all for the good of the family.

He rubbed his hands together. The friction warmed them only for a little. He did not know exactly how long he had been waiting. Sasuke had told him that with this plan there was the off chance that one of them would arive earlier than the other. Still. Naruto did not think it would take him this long to meet him.

He sat at the base of the tree. He leaned his head upwards. His gaze steadied itself on the white berries above. He smiled softly at the memories that involved this tree. Swimming in past dreams, his eyes drifted shut.

He was in a shallow sleep. Even though, he could not feel the foreshadowing presence of some malediction.

A pack of wolves made its way from the surrounding wood to the spring. Blood stained from their fresh slaughter that had occured not long ago. It matted their fur. Their paws left crimson prints. The crimson flow still dripped from their pointed teeth. Immediately the noticed Naruto's presence. They approached the blond.

Sasuke stared down into his brother's dead eyes. What he had said to him was no jest. And he kept his word. he looked around him. No one had heard them. Amazing. He decided not to question it. Instead he ran.

He kept running until he was near the spring with the mulberry tree. He paused to catch his breath. He shook his head briskly. As though he was shaking off everything that had happened until this point. He walked forward calmly down the familiar path.

He came to the clearing he had not seen in ages. Instead though, of seeing his happy blond love, he was greeted with the sight of blood covered beasts. Instantly! He ran to the tree. The pack sensed the killing intent of the boy nearing them. Fatigued from the day, they ran instead of staying.

At the base of the tree, Sasuke saw items familiar to him. Clothing he had seen his beloved wear before. All blood stained and gashed. And there, half covered by earth, not far from the tree, the orange colored scarf he himself had given Naruto on the night they were found. That one particular item was dyed more crimson than the others.

Sasuke clenched the fabric to his chest and howled.

"Pack of monsters! You have taken from me the only precious person I have!"

He threw his head backwards and shouted at the Heaven's themselves. He cursed God and all other higher beings. For where we're they when this malevolent catastrophe occured? He only stopped when his troat became sore. His voice no longer having the capabilities of forming clear words.

He stood and wiped his tear stained cheeks. Even he was unaware of his silent sobbing. He was absorbed by his anger. Quicker than ever he made his way back to the mulberry tree where all other items still layed.

"I can swear and curse as much as I please, but the thruth of the matter is he is gone. And I am to blame." Once more he unsheathed his katana. "Naruto... I was late. I was not able to protect you. I will join you soon enough."

With as little effort as he could, his blade turned on himself. In one motion it was implanted into his body. Tearing at his innards. The blood from the exit wound sprayed against the bark. Blood was coughed up from his gut. He fell down to his knees. Sasuke was prepared for Death to take him. Untill...

"Sasuke!"

His head turned to the call of his name. There running towards him, was the blond boy he deemed murdered. His body collapsed onto it's side.

Naruto ran to the tree and fell to his side.

"Why?!" he cried. "You fool! Why did you do it?!"

Sasuke looked into his red rimmed blue eyes and smiled ruefully. He brought his hand up to caress the other's cheek. "I thought you were dead. Where were you?"

"I ran away from the wolves," he choked out. Clinging onto the hand he spoke more. "I ran into the forest and came back when I heard them approach my hiding place."

He tensed at the warmth fading away from the hand on his face.

"We need to get you help," he said.

Sasuke shook his head to best of his abilities.

"There is no help for me. It's too late."

"No! No it's not! I won't let you die."

"I love you."

"Stop it."

"Always."

"Stop!" He cried freely. "I need to get help for you, but I don't want to leave you again."

"Come closer," Sasuke muttered.

Naruto bent his head to the other. Using whatever life he had left, Sasuke raised his head slightly and caught his lips in a chaste kiss. He whispered one last message.

"I don't want to leave you either. I'm sorry."

Naruto jerked away just a little bit.

"Don't you dare." his voice was low. A warning tone. "don't you dare, you bastard."

Instead of his usual smirk, Sasuke actually smiled. It was small and barely visible in the moonlight. But it was there nonetheless.

Naruto fisted his hands into Sasuke's top.

"You bastard! Don't you dare die on me!"

Sasuke's last breath left his body. His eyes closed with a brief shudder.

Choking with sobs, Naruto reached for the katana's handle. As gently as he could, pulled the blade from his lover's body. He set it aside for the time being. He rummaged through the scattered goods of his pack. Finding what he needed, he scribbled out a note that would carry his last words out to the world. He set that aside as well. Moved back to his original position. He picked the blade up one more time.

"You've always done this," he muttered. "You've always left me behind while you went off to somewhere where I couldn't follow. Not this time you selfish ass. You're not leaving me behind this time."

He inspected the instrument in his hand. Determination stuck on his face as fat droplets of crimson liquid rolled downwards.

"You ended your life the moment you thought I died. And I can do the same. It's my fault this happened anyway."

His clenched shut. With the same unhesitance as Sasuke, he plunged the sharpened metal into his body and cried out in pain. He fell almost immediately onto his side.

Through blinding tears and scorching pain racking through his system, the blond inched ever closer to the raven's body. He clasped the cold hand into his own fading warmth.

"Our parents may have been able to force us apart physically, but not even Death will keep me away from you."

In a final act, he pressed his lips against the other's and wrapped himself in Sasuke's limp arms. With his final moments of life, he prayed for something to happen, to show that they were here, and that their love could not be stopped through any means.

By the good grace of some higher being, the mulberry tree they both met, fell in love, and died under, soaked in the blood stained soil with it's roots and created a new existance. With the blood of two lovers, the berries dyed a reddish purple.

The ending isn't very original. I kind of stole it from something. But at least I admitted it. I was thinking of maybe doing a one shot sequel, just detailing what happened after this. Or maybe even a prequel. I'm not sure why, but I really like this fic. I'm kind of sad to see it end.

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.